The MV-1 displaying CNG cylinder storage
Ford 4.6L 2V EFI V8 available in dedicated CNG or gasoline models
Florida-based Vehicle Production Group LLC (VPG) will commence volume production of the MV-1, the first factory-built and assembled wheelchair-accessible vehicle designed to meet the unique needs of the paratransit, taxi and consumer market, in October 2010. The new vehicle will be powered by the rear wheel drive Ford 4.6L 2V EFI V8 engine and 4 speed automatic transmission and will be available in either dedicated Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or gasoline models.
The company says its MV-1 is the first and only vehicle built from the ground up in the United States to meet or exceed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) vehicle guidelines. Unlike other wheelchair-accessible vehicles, it is not a conversion or aftermarket retrofit.
MV-1 production will commence at the AM General plant in Mishawaka, Indiana with volume production. AM General, which designs and produces the military HUMVEE and assembles the HUMMER H2, has a world-renowned reputation for building rugged vehicles.
The MV-1 is the only vehicle in its class with an OEM-engineered and factory assembled dedicated CNG fuel system option to ensure the same durability, reliability and quality that fleets demand from gasoline powered vehicles. The clean-burning CNG vehicle features a range of 250 miles and best-in-class cargo compartment volume. As a result of a strategic partnership between VPG and Clean Energy Fuel Corp., Clean Energy intends to expand its CNG fueling infrastructure in key US markets to support fleets operating the CNG powered MV-1.
The vehicle features 56-inch high and 36-inch wide rear doors for easy wheelchair entrance via a wide ramp that carries a 1200-pound capacity yet easily stores beneath the floor inside the vehicle. It can accommodate five passengers plus the driver, including up to two forward facing wheelchair riders.
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